"Hello, Mama, how are you doing? Have you gotten better from the cough you suffered last cold season? How is Papa? I trust he is taking good care of you. I do hope our garden is growing well and the business thrives at the restaurant. How are my siblings? Is Gen'jr still making eyes at that trader lad from Beldad? He is trouble, I wager--it is a good thing you have T'yme, Syn'ammon and Aal'mund to look after her!

"I trust my aunties and uncles are doing as well as when I left them. I was sure to give them each a kiss on both cheeks and a hug, even Auntie Llia. You remember Papa's sister? The one neither of us ever really got along with? But I could not stand to leave Argovia on bad standing with any of my family. It would be petty and small, and further unwise--you know what the dragons say about how the gods look upon those who shun family. And, on that note, I hope our Auntie Llia is well, and that her children--and all my cousins--are behaving for you!

"I am doing well in Igala. I have made my way to a country called Doma which is on the east of the continent. I have found lodging with an absolutely lovely woman, a very friendly sort, who is a great help while I get started in this country. I am in the country's capital, which is full of many people and has a very large marketplace every day. I have investigated this market for employment, and I think I might just have a job soon with a young woman who sells herbs.

"It is time to close this letter, for when one is this far north dusk approaches early, and it is getting hard to see this paper. Send my best regards to the family, and rest assured that I will be sure to keep you up to date on my well-being and success here in Igala.

"Actually, the sea journey was rather boring and uneventful. I half expected some sort of adventure, sea creatures demanding tithes or something, but really, it has been a long time since Sailor Tinnerson crossed these waters. Others have had the chance to tame them, I imagine.

"Our ship first landed in a country called Nekonia, on the south of Igala. I was so excited at being in Igala that I chose to disembark right there. I did not entirely understand that this was not a country of humans, but of another race entirely. The patron god of the country is called Nekogami, and as she is responsible for cats, so too they say is she responsible for these people. They are just like cats, Akki! Very large, upright cats, of course. They do not have just the arms covered, like our dragons, but their entire bodies are furred! Their faces have whiskers and ears which stand up and twirl--their eyes are cat-slit. Their legs are odd, heavily muscled, very much like our dragons.

"They are a very friendly folk, these cat people. I learned a great deal of the Common language of the continent from them as I earned my food and lodging on my way inland. I eventually learned that the countries to the west and east of Nekonia do not speak the Common language natively, so I suppose it is rather lucky that I was impatient! Do not tell mama--as far as she knows, I have everything perfectly planned.

"I crossed some plains--partway through I joined an honest-to-goodness Igalan merchant caravan!--and then found that I was in a new country. It is called Doma and is a proper human country. At the least, most of it is, but at the capital, where I am, you will find all sorts of things! I imagine there are bastets and long and everything else!

"Speaking of dragons, the dragons are very strange here! They look like normal humans usually, but their larger form is very lizard-like. It is all scales, teeth, and claws, and not very warm at all. Not at all like the long. And for all the dragons in this city, they seem pretty solitary, too. To be honest, I like our dragons better.

"Oh, do you know, the ruler of Doma has lovely dark skin like an Argovians? I asked about this, but I did not get a clear answer. Supposedly his ancestors came from the west?

"At any rate, I already sent a letter to Mama. I just told her I was in the capital of Doma and found lodging with a kind Doman, and hope to soon secure a job at the local market. This is all true, by the way. There is an herbs dealer at the market who I offered to work for, and I think she may hire me. I will say, I made it sound like a sure deal to Mama, but the merchant seemed to sound a little odd when I told her the name of my roommate.

"Speaking of which! If you wish to write me back, I am staying at the Hemlock Inn of Doma City, Doma. If for some reason I move around too much, you might be able to find out where I went from a Doman lady named Quinn. I think I do not need to say, please do not mention this to mama--she would not approve of my choice of lodgings, if you understand.

"Please DO write back! I would love to hear from you! If I do not get letters from you then I will just pretend that Doma has a very bad postal service.